See depictions of Horses, Horse Riding & the Mythical Pegasus and Hippocamp on the coins of Ancient Greece and Rome

Horses were a popular subject on both ancient Greek and Roman coins as they were important to the ancients. To truly think about it, the ancient economy, travel and even warfare was very dependent on this one majestic animal. This guide made by Ilya Zlobin of eBay's Authentic Ancient Greek Roman Coins (a store where you can buy many great ancient coins) was created to get you educated about the subject of the various depictions of horses that were done on ancient coins. The coins shown here show various rulers on horseback, horses of various types and motifs along with the various gods and goddesses such as Zeus and Apollo. In the video above, along with the pictures and descriptions below, you can see just some of the ancient coins depicting horses that were minted. You can learn a lot from this article and see some of the coins by clicking the pictures or links below. See all the coins with:

One part you can see here are the various types of chariots pulled by horses such as biga (2 horse chariot) the triga (three horse chariot) and quadriga (four horse chariot). You will see depictions of ancient Greek, Roman Republican and even Roman Imperial coins in this article with the theme of the horse flowing through the entire thing. Various Roman emperors such as Augustus, Septimius Severus, Geta, Caracalla, Marcus Aurelius and so many more were depicted heroically on horseback. It seems that more recent rulers have adopted this tradition as we still see heroic horse mounted statues of various heroes. An ancient coin featuring the great undefeated "conqueror of the world", Alexander the Great, features his portrait and him on his legendary horse Bucephalus. The horse after dying in the area of northern India even got a city named after it called Bucephalia. Alexander the Great loved his horse and wound up taming it as it was wild and beautiful horse. This can be actually see in the Hollywood Oliver Stone film Alexander Revisited Director's Cut. Various ancient Greek cities such as those from areas of ancient Sicily, Aeolis, Thessaly, Macedonia and many more had an appreciation for horses including the tactical advantage that they gave them. A city such as Larissa actually celebrated it's horse raising in it's agricultural hinterland and showed them on their coins proudly. King Philip II, wound even commemorating his horse racing victory in the ancient Greek Olympic games on his coins in bronze, silver and even gold! Moving on to coins of the Roman Republic you will see various depictions from various victories versus foes such as those from Gaul, also chariots being driven by gods such as Apollo, Zeus and Victory. Horses also took on more mythological distinctions such as that of the flying Pegasus or the half-horse half-mermaid nautical ocean swimming helper to Poseidon or Neptune. These depictions on ancient coins were also very interesting. In conclusion, horses could be one of the biggest subjects of connecting various cultures such as those of the Greeks, the Romans and even later "dark ages" or "medieval" time people such as the Vandals. The subject of collecting ancient coins with horses could be a gratifying topic to pursue as there is such a variety of these different coins, with many being very reasonably or low priced.

Greek city of Termessos Major in Pisidia Bronze 17mm (4.38 grams) Struck 71 B.C. Reference: Sear 5495; B.M.C.19.268,3-4 Laureate head of Zeus right. Free horse galloping left; A (=year 1) above, TEP beneath. An important city of south-western Pisidia, high up in the Tauros mountains, Termessos at one time controlled a large area of territory extending into northern Lycia. Its position was given recognition by the Romans in 71 B.C. from which era its earliest coins date.

Greek Coin of Macedonian Kingdom Philip III, Arrhidaeus - King of Macedonia: 323-317 B.C. Silver 1/5 Tetradrachm 12mm (2.44 grams) Amphipolis mint. Struck Philip III - Kassander. Circa 323/2-315 .BC. Reference: Le Rider pl. 46, 20-1; SNG ANS 723-5 Head of Apollo right, wearing tainia. ΦΙΛΠΠΟΥ, Horseman riding right; trident below. History and Meaning of the Coin During the times of ancient Greeks, horse racing was one of the events various Greek city-states and kingdoms would have intense competition with each other, as it was of great prestige to participate. Before the time of Philip II, the kingdom of Macedonia was considered barbarian and not Greek. Philip II was the first king of Macedon that was accepted for participation in the event, which was a great honor all in itself. It was an even greater honor that Philip's horses would go on to win two horse-racing events. In 356 B.C., he won the single horse event and then in 348 B.C. chariot pulled by two horses event. As a way to proudly announce, or what some would say propagandize these honors, Philip II placed a reference to these great victories on his coins struck in all three metals of bronze, silver and gold. The ancient historian, Plutarch, wrote "[Philip of Macedon] ... had victories of his chariots at Olympia stamped on his coins."

Alexander III the Great: Macedonian Greek King: 336-323 B.C. Pseudo-Autonomous Issue under the Romans Bronze 24mm (7.38 grams) from the Koinon of Macedonia in Thrace Struck circa time of emperor Severus Alexander, circa 222-235 A.D. Reference: AMNG 565 var. AΛЄΞANΔPOV, Head of Alexander the Great right with loose, flowing hair. KOINON MAKЄΔONΩN NЄΩ, Alexander the Great on his legendary horse, Bucephalus, galloping right with cape flowing behind him and raising right hand in which he holds a spear.* Numismatic Note: Amazing coin being issued over 500 years after the death of Alexander the Great, featuring his portrait. Alexander the Great was and still is a great hero of antiquity showing the amazing effect one man can have on history in just short while of just 13 years! Macedonia was a province under the control of the Romans, which was created out of the kingdom of Macedonia which Alexander the Great was king of. Interesting to note that this being a pseudo-autonomous issue featuring Alexander the Great instead of the Roman emperor of the time.

KASSANDER killer of Alexander the Great son Ancient Greek Coin Horse i58302

Greek city of Syracuse in Sicily Bronze Trias 20mm (8.25 grams) Struck under Dionysios I and Dionysios II, circa 375-344 B.C. Reference: HGC 2, 1456; Sear 1193 (Timoleon time); B.M.C. 2. 289; CNS II, nos. 34-45 ΣYPA, Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet bound with olive-wreath. Hippocamp left, with curled wing. When in it's foundations that the city of Syracuse only consisted of the island of Ortygia, that island was said to have been the home of the nymph Arethusa. She had been a chaste, faithful attendant of Artemis. It is said that she got the unwanted attentions from the river god, Alpheios, while bathing in his Peloponnesian stream. Artemis hid her in a cloud in an attempt to save her, however she sweated so profusely out of fear that she was transformed into a stream. Artemis broke apart the ground to allow her to escape. She found her way to the island of Ortygia where she became the fountain on that island.

Indo-Scythian Kingdom in Northern India King Azes II - Indo-Scythian King - Reigned: circa 35 B.C.- 12 B.C. or later, possibly up to 5 A.D. Silver Drachm 14mm (2.44 grams) Struck circa 35 B.C. - 12 B.C. / 5 A.D. Uncertain min in Hazara-Kashmir Reference: HGC 12, 647 (Rare R2) King with coat of mail, on horse, holding elephant goad, with Greek royal headband; Kharoshthi letter to right. Greek legend BAΣIΛEΩΣ BASIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY AZOY "The Great King of Kings Azes". Diademed Zeus standing left, holding Nike and scepter; monogram to left and Kharosthi letter to right. Kharoshti legend MAHARAJASA RAJADIRAJASA MAHATASA AYASA "The Great King of Kings Azes". * Numismatic Note: This coin circulated around the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is from the area far east in the Indo-Scythian Kingdom in Northern India. This type of coin could have been carried by the Magii that went to see Jesus from the east. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh was available and traded in the area of northern India and was something that would be brought west from there. India was a great source for spices and other other exotic goods and caravans would travel from there bringing them for trade. It is believed that Jesus may have been born back as far back as 5 B.C. based on some of the biblical accounts. If this king lived up to 5 B.C. or later, which may be possible, he could have been then one of the kings that visited Jesus at his birth. Or if this coin was carried by the Magii, his coin could have came and visited Jesus. Since these kings may have traveled on horses, a king of those times would look like the king pictured on this coin. And it is also possible that one of his successors could have been some of the kings that visited Jesus at birth. Then again, they would have with them the circulating coin of the realm, and some of those which could have been the coin of this ruler. It is amazing to hold this coin connected to that amazing historical period.

Greek city of Panormos in Sicily Bronze 16mm (3.18 grams) Struck early 3rd Century B.C. Reference: HGC 2, 1073 Rare R1; CNS I, p. 340, no. 61 Laureate head of Zeus left. Horse galloping left; sun above; ΠΑ monogram below. The principal Phoenician city in Sicily, Panormos produced a limited coinage in the latter part of the 5th Century; but following the great success of Carthaginian arms, 409-405 B.C., the issues of the mint became much larger. The types are mostly copied form the coinages of other Sicilian cities, such as Gela, Segesta and Syracuse.

Roman Republic Q. Titius moneyer Silver Denarius 18mm (3.66 grams) Rome mint: 90 B.C. Reference: Titia 1; B.M.C. 2220; Syd. 691; Craw. 341/1 Certification: NGC Ancients Ch VF 4375823-144 Head of Mutinus Titinus right, bound with winged diadem. Q . TITI on tablet from which springs Pegasus right. The god Mutinus Titinus is the same as Priapus, who had a temple at Rome, and who was especially worshipped by young married women. Statues of Priapus were common in ancient Greece and Rome, standing in gardens or at doorways and crossroads. To propitiate Priapus, the traveler would stroke the statue's penis as he passed by.

Geta - Roman Emperor: 209-211 A.D. Silver Denarius 19mm (2.99 grams) Struck at the mint of Rome mint, 200-202 A.D. Reference: BMCRE 216. RIC 6. RSC 12. Hill 659 Certification: NGC Ancients Ch XF 4375823-231 . P SEPT GETA - CAES PONT, bare-headed, draped bust of the child Geta right. CASTOR, Castor standing facing, head left, holding scepter, by side of horse left. * Numismatic Note: Very rare type with one of the Dioscuri twins. This perhaps is an allusion to Geta being the mortal Castor while his older brother, Caracalla may have been Pollux. This is one of the interpretations that can be made from the coin as Carcalla and Geta were brothers and emperors would often try to equate themselves with mythologies.

Roman Republic L. Marcius Philippus moneyer Silver Denarius 19mm (3.46 grams) Rome mint, circa 56 B.C. Reference: Marcia 28; B.M.C. 3890; Syd. 919; Craw. 425/1 Certification: NGC Ancients VF 4375823-408 ANCVS below diademed head of Ancus Marcius right, lituus behind. PHILIPPVS behind equestrian statue right on an arcade of five arches within which A Q V A MAR, flower below horses. The Marcia gens claimed descent from Ancus Marcius, the fourth king of Rome, who is said to have been the first to bring water to Rome by means of an aqueduct. The equestrian statue is that of Q. Marcius Rex, who, when praetor in B.C. 144, was commissioned by the Senate to repair the old aqueducts and to build one which would give a supply of water to the Capitol. This aqueduct is known as the Aqua Marcia.